ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Thursday 18 August 2011

ROBERT THE PLANT (18/08/11)

I have had a wonderful day this morning. This post has nothing to do with Led Zeppelin or Robert Plant.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is Robert the Plant. Many thanks to the source of all knowledge……..Dr Phil Gates at CABINET OF CURIOSITIES for identifying it as Melilot. His blog is always worth a visit as is his web site…………..’ I see no Ships!’. Sorry about that Phil. I’ll be even sorrier in a while because I’ve a sneaking suspicion I’m going to be needing help later in this post.

Last night whilst cooking tea……….cooking is perhaps a slight exaggeration……..Preparing pickled herring and a warm salad is what I was doing. I did boil some potatoes. I was listening to this on the radio. Not enjoyed anything so much in ages.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00yqspr/Wondermentalist_Cabaret_Episode_4/

Well nothing that takes half an hour! The bloody Archers followed it and I fell over the dog in my haste to switch that claptrap off……..One kind reader suggested I may suffer from A.D.D. Attention Deficit Disrobing…….I think? She was being polite but I suspect meant I’m a slate loose. I don’t mind as long as I’m certified sane. I’m not!  A hard thing to be in the UK…….one has to be mad as a sack of spiders before you can apply for the sane certificate. Which says more about psychologists than it does about us loonies.

On with the post, I've a lot to get through today………….I was just a wee bit distracted for a moment.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA     Two more of  Melilot.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhilst sitting in the weeds I noticed this Seven Spot Ladybird………….it was shy and no matter how I tried I couldn’t get a head shot. I even gave it a poke with a bit of grass.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA  To no avail, as you can see. It really was a very shy Ladybird. Or perhaps it assumed it’s bum was it’s best feature. An assumption many ladies have in common!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAmazing what one notices when sitting in vegetation…………a blurry Cinnabar Moth larva. chomping away at Ragwort. There was only a slight breeze this morning but it’s enough to ruin a carefully planned shoot. At least it’s dry. I would have been better using a telephoto but the macro lens is sharper in perfect conditions. In anything less than perfect…….it’s worse.

We went out again at around ten. ………….Still a slight zephyr but I used a bean bag instead of the tripod. A kind lady stopped to enquire if I was all right. She was worried seeing me lying in the grass. Thought I was ill or mad. 

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA  She was fine when I explained I was snapping Scarlet Pimpernels. Thanks again to Phil Gates for the first I.D. John at Scriptor Sennex knew what it was as well. It is a wee bobby Dazzler of a flower and less than a quarter of an inch across.

Now I hit the real problems of this late morning outing………not only do Scarlet Pimpernel go to bed early they get up late it wasn’t till eleven o’clock they got out of bed and according to Phil they are back all tucked up by three.

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA  These are minute flowers around an eighth of an inch across……The quality is poor…………..Hey Ho! I’m learning the lingo…………These are Record Shots…….sounds much better than Crap Shots.

Despite or may be because off the poor conditions I really enjoyed this mornings perambulations. Take pictures of little things and it sure cuts down on the leg work.

I may or may not post tomorrow. I have a shot in mind but it will involve a severe soaking. You all have a good weekend.

 

20 comments:

  1. Great post Adrian, it made I larf it did!

    It helps to be mad sometimes.

    Super Ladybird shots, there's nothing wrong with a lady being a little bit shy. lol.

    The second Pimpernel shot is excellent.

    And the last three are (I think, but don't quote me !! and I stand to be corrected!!)
    Meadow Crane's-bill
    Hop Trefoil
    Red Dead-nettle

    But I'm sure you already knew that. lol.

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  2. Adrian~Adrian~Adrian....I really don't know what to say..,because I cannot stop laughing!!

    After listening To the Wondermentalist I can see why you are having these off the wall moments of ....now I didn't say you where not sane ??? I just kinda sorta said perhaps you might have a problem staying on the "same page" for more then a few minutes..OK I meant A.D.D.! : }

    The reason I am here...oh ya~Robert Plant wow is had a nice head of hair...I envie that!!

    Flowers: the first shot is just the best..love it!! The Scarlet P. is so much more impressive in a micro...nice!

    Here we don't stop an ask if someone lying in the grass, if there ok .."we bolt"!!

    Grace

    PS.. "Have you heard anything from the iceberg"

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  3. Trevor, Ta! These are minute I'll settle for the Red Dead Nettle. Because it looks like a nettle leaf. Juries out for pirate Phil. He Will Know!
    If you confer with Keith he will assure you I'm thick as shuit. All I know is green side up/brown side down. I find a plant with green roots and it has got problems.

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  4. Trevor, it does look like meadow cranesbill but it is only a few millimetres all around. Maybe a bonsai one.

    Grace, I try to entertain.......... hopeless me trying to educate. I haven't a clue what I'm looking at most of the time.
    Les Barker is older than me............reely old! You can see a proper nutter by watching him on Youtube. Give it a whirl and let me know. Don't bother with the shipping forecast one as you will have to have heard the Brits shipping forecast to appreciate or even understand it.
    I envy Robert his hair, his voice, his being in the same room as Alison Crowse........It's worth another post. Alison Crowse, I mean.
    I was bald at twenty...nowt grows on a busy street.
    Lucky I wasn't mugged.......Good job it's Thursday..pension or Dole day round here. They are generally good folk..pity they speak a different language.
    No.............Bears all at the bottom of the sea I fear.

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  5. Laugh, I can't stop laughing. I'm off to the bathroom and get rid of it with a 'crap shot'.

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  6. WOW... Excellent Ladybird shots! This is a beautiful collection of amazing macro images.

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  7. Bob, post it.......it will be a first from you. The only bloke I know that posts perfect record shots.

    Claudia, they are mediocre.....I know that. Thank you anyway but don't fib.........I've seen your work.

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  8. I thought I was in for some Zep for a moment :-)

    Adrian, the Melilot and Ladybird shots are excellent. Great detail on the little bug.

    I reckon Trevor is right on the last 3 ID's. The Hop Trefoil is a beautiful little plant.

    I managed about 5 minutes of the radio link, before I left it. I think I need to get work out of my head first; it's dulled my brain. ;-)

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  9. Love the Cinnabar caterpillar shot -- I sympathise with it being slightly blurry though. Goodness knows how many times I've been out in the garden with the tripod and a macro lens and I still can't get a completely perfect photo no matter how much ragwort they eat and how big they get. I gave up and blogged a slightly blurry photo (only obvious at full size fortunately). I just couldn't take it anymore!

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  10. Keith, they are such tiny plants. gorgeous wee things. the 150mm macro is the very devil to work but good fun.
    I was playing with Google with the title no I've not checked. I have been listening to Raising Sands Though.......and a bit of Smoke on the Water.
    Want a good laugh then Google Les Barker. A super star is he.

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  11. Excellent images, Adrian. Had to laugh at the woman thinking you were ill or mad whilst down low photographing. When I've been photographing lying down, I've looked up to find a flock of crows gathering, thinking I was carrion. Whilst doing macro photography near a golf course, a passing golfer thought I was a dead woman! I can deal with being a corpse, but a female one!?

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  12. I have had a crap day at work and was feeling quite down.... then I read this post.
    Lovely images and a very entertaining read... I am now off to bed for an early night with a big smile on my face.
    Thanks Adrian I am now hoping for sweet dreams.

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  13. I've only been up an hour so haven't had time to have a crap day - yet. But if my crap days are as good as your record ones I'll be quite happy: not ecstatic, you understand, wouldn't want to encourage your insanity, but 'quite happy' isn't too bad really.

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  14. Well, Adrian had a wonderful day! very pleased for you :)))
    Love all these flowers and insects with bright colours, don't know all the species but it doesn't matter, they are enjoyable.
    Hope the week-end will keep you happy Adrian!
    Didn't check the forecast though...

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  15. The Archers does have one use here. As soon as the 2pm edition starts I know it's time to go walkies. My preferred station nowadays is R4extra (the dumbed down version of the excellent R7) Its one outstanding advantage - there are no news broadcasts to depress me.

    Some lovely blossom shots there Adrian.

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  16. What an interesting natural life is taking place where you live. I always enjoy your photography.

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  17. Wonderful post Adrian. You always bring on a chuckle or two. Keep it up.

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  18. Sorry for the delay in replying.

    Mark, I should have taken it home and popped it in the fridge for a while then focus stacked it.

    Jeremy, thanks. You were lucky there were no Red Kites around.

    Andrew, I'm happy to have cheered you up with a day in the life of an Old Age Traveller.

    Graham, I enjoy most days. I just look at some pictures and think would I buy that?

    Dee Bee, some days good snaps other days not so good. I had a wonderful weekend......what I can recall of it.

    John, the Archers is the biggest load of drivel on the radio. I like ranting at news programmes so Radio4 suits me.

    Olga, if you lie in the grass it's always fascinating to see what wanders by.

    Trevor, I'll do my very bestest.

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  19. Great Ladybird shots ... "Does my bum look big in this ?"

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  20. Jay, I could have done with it turning round. The answer to the question is 'No, no of course not.'

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